The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for selecting needles for patterning, in a multifeed circular knitting machine.
Multifeed circular knitting machines are provided with a needle cylinder having a plurality of vertical parallel grooves in each of which is slidably located a needle which is adapted to move, according to a predetermined pattern, in cooperation with other needles or sinkers to form loops of yarn fed to them, from feeds spaced about the cylinder. The selection of the appropriate needle and the control of its movement is conventionally provided by locating one or more selectors and/or jacks within the groove which may be controlled to swing into and out of engagement with a cam system to effect transfer of the needle into operating position and which in cooperation with the cam system cause the needle to vertically reciprocate into either the closing or tucking position or not move at all. The primary movement of the needles is generally initiated by selection of an upper selector jack in abutment with the needle while the auxiliary selection is initiated by a lower selector jack. Patterning means are provided which are actuable in accord with the patterning system to independently control (i.e. select) the appropriate selector jacks and/or the sinker selecting system. The selectors are generally rockable within the groove, as well as slidable so that the patterning means is capable of swinging the selectors into and out of its respective cam system whereby vertical reciprocation is obtained. The selector jacks are normally pressed or swung back into their original positions (i.e. inoperative) after or behind the yarn feed in which they lifted the needles into knitting position.
Although this system is reliable in its operation, it requires considerable space about the circumference of the needle cylinder for each feed system. Thus if its is necessary, in each feed system to perform a new needle selection then it is impossible with the foregoing system to employ a plurality of feeds, particularly if the machine lies intermediate a large and small diameter.
An object of the present invention is to provide a selection system which overcomes and/or mitigates the aforementioned disadvantages and which provides a simple and reliable system for plural needle selection in multifeed circular knitting machines.
The foregoing objects as well as others together with the numerous advantages of the present invention will be found in and are set forth in the following disclosure.